Lenovo's IdeaPad Y-series consumer notebooks are all going 16:9 widescreen, teed off by the 16-inch Y650, which is the thinnest, lightest notebook in that class, thanks to carbon fiber.

Rounding out the series are the Y550 and Y450, which are the 15 and 14-inch versions of the same notebook. They're all LED-backlit, and weirdly, at least according to the spec sheet all have the same 1366x768 resolution. Also bizarre is that the 15.6-inch Y550 weighs more than the Y650—6 pounds to 5.6. Blu-ray and discrete graphics options in all (though not the kind you can turn off or off like in the unibody MacBook Pros or some of Toshiba's notebooks).

Still, they do start fairly cheap: $1200 for the Y650, $830 for the other two when they roll out in March.

IdeaPad Y650, Y550, Y450 Laptops

Lenovo's latest IdeaPad Y Series laptops deliver powerful Hi-Definition entertainment in new sizes that are smaller, thinner and lighter than the previous generation to give more choices to consumers. The three Y Series laptops – the Y650, Y550, and Y450 – share the same modern soft black design featuring an interlocked hexagon pattern on the top cover along with a discrete copper accent around the perimeter of the laptop.

Lenovo delivers its first 16-inch widescreen laptop, the IdeaPad Y650, to the distinction of being the thinnest and lightest laptop in its class1. In fact, the laptop weighs even lighter than many 15-inch laptops, providing users with an additional inch of screen space without compromising on mobility. Making use of special materials like carbon fiber, as used in the aerospace and automotive industries, Lenovo has engineered the laptop down to a slender one-inch at its thinnest point with a weight of just 5.6 pounds.

The expanded Y Series add three new 16:9 screen sizes: the 16-inch Y650, the 15.6-inch Y550, and the 14-inch Y450 laptops. The new Y Series laptops are configurable with up to 500GB of hard drive storage space and up to 4GB of DDR3 memory.

Designed for HD and Multimedia

To provide an exceptional Hi-Definition entertainment and multimedia experience, the Y Series laptops are equipped with 16:9 format glossy widescreen panels, optional latest generation NVIDIA GFX graphics for gaming and smooth HD video playback and Dolby® Home Theater™ surround sound. The IdeaPad Y650 laptop also features JBL speakers for a rich, resonate sound.

The Y Series includes the new Lenovo OneKey™ Theater software to enhance the audio and visual experience. By pressing a button, OneKey Theater gives users an easy way to adjust the PC's display and sound effect settings. Users can switch from normal mode to movie mode on the fly to optimize the picture when watching movies or playing games. The Y Series also includes Lenovo Desktop Navigator so users can toggle between shortcuts, files and other frequently used programs just by placing their finger along the touch-sensitive slide bar. For extra convenience, users can simply use the multi-touch touchpad below the keyboard and use their fingertips to enlarge or reduce image size. Additionally, an ambient light sensor on the IdeaPad Y650 laptop automatically adjusts screen brightness based on surrounding light conditions, helping to reduce eye strain.

Lenovo has added new levels of performance to its Y Series by equipping them with the latest Intel processors as well as DDR3 memory to help applications respond more quickly under multi-tasking conditions. Now users can burn DVDs in less time, compress and open large documents more easily and enjoy smoother, more realistic gaming. Y Series laptops have several wireless connectivity options including WiFi and optional Bluetooth.

The new Y Series also features Lenovo's OneKey™ Rescue System to help users to recover their data and restore critical system files after system failures, viruses and other mishaps.

IdeaPad S10 Netbook

Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 netbook – an affordable secondary PC for the home or for the first-time PC user – is ideal for connecting to the Internet, messaging with friends, completing homework or even making Skype calls. Lenovo is updating the popular IdeaPad S10 netbook with new multimedia and networking tools for social networking enthusiasts ranging from newbie's to the most social of socialites.

While many early adopters are familiar with the world of social networking, some mainstream consumers are only taking the first steps. Through a new Lenovo tool called LenovoSocial, that comes preloaded on the netbook, users can easily connect to a resource portal that will help them navigate the vast options for participating in social networking.

Other new features on the IdeaPad S10 netbook include Lenovo Quick Start. With this functionality, users will have the ability to access a number of frequently used applications including a web browser, music player, photo viewer, instant messaging tools and Skype. New to the netbook is Lenovo's VeriFace™ facial recognition technology, a convenient tool for easy log-in. Similar to the IdeaPad Y Series laptops, the netbook features multi-touch functionality on the trackpad and Lenovo's OneKey™ Rescue System.

The new IdeaPad S10 netbook's 10.2-inch LED backlight display, 0.9 inch thick frame and 2.4 pound weight make it an ideal companion to tote in a backpack or shoulder bag. Color choices include black, white, red, blue, or pink.

Pricing and Availability4

The new IdeaPad Y650, Y550, Y450 laptops and S10 netbook will be available beginning in March. Manufacturer suggested retail pricing (MSRP) for models starts at $1,199 for the IdeaPad Y650, $829 for the IdeaPad Y550 and Y450, and $349 for the IdeaPad S10 netbook. The IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop will be available beginning in April with MSRP for models starting at $999.